Remain campaigners insisted that British business supported a vote to stay in the EU in the June 23 referendum - and pointed to the lack of any FTSE100 executives on the list and the few women.

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A survey of small and medium-sized firms commissioned by Vote Leave found that 32% said the EU hinders businesses like theirs, while 25% said it helped them and 40% said it made no difference.

The YouGov study was dismissed as one-sided by Lucy Thomas, deputy director of Britain Stronger in Europe.

She said: "Survey after survey has shown that businesses of all sizes and from all sectors overwhelmingly back Britain remaining in the EU.

"It is telling that Vote Leave's poll doesn't even ask the most important question about whether Britain should remain in the EU because they know most businesses - large and small - disagree with them.

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"Instead they resort to leading questions about regulation."

BT chairman Sir Mike Rake said: "Virtually every poll in recent months has found between 60% and 90% of businesses small, medium and large want to remain in the EU, with only a small minority who want to leave.

"Whilst over-regulation is acknowledged to be an issue, several studies have shown that this is in no small part due to gold-plating by UK regulators.

"Our best course is to remain in the EU, constructively engaging to improve its competitiveness."